who will get out of their groups?

There is a close race for two spots between England, China and Denmark.
I think Korea may surprise many. All fans from all countries please vote, it will make a better poll!

 

Germany, Japan, USA, Sweden, Norway, Canada, China and Denmark.

 

I'll have to agree with FCMB.

 

I agree with all of your picks except for one. In Group A I think it will be very close, but I'm giving England a slight edge for finishing in second place ahead of Japan.

After their extremely disappointing performance at the Algarve Cup I was almost tempted to pick Brazil over China in Group D, but decided to pick China only because they are the host nation.

 

Japan was more heart than head decision - they are my favourite team in Asia and I want them to do well. And looking to the results they had I think that they have a realistic change to qualify infront of England.

 

Im very confident Japan will both beat England but also qualify for the next stage at the expense of England, England are my second favourite European team, but im not sure their defence and midfield are experienced to shut down Sawa and Co,.

 

3 months (!) have gone by since the poll was first taken. Only about a month to go before the Cup starts!

Any reassessments with a month to go?

Group A: Japan couldn't handle the size and physical play on set pieces by the US, but are they sharp enough with their short passing play to get by against England?

Group B: North Korea remains a mystery, but has Sweden suffered too many key injuries to keep a lock on a quarterfinal spot?

Group C: Canada has struggled but enough so to make getting out of the group a problem?

Group D: I considered this a 2nd Group of Death back in April. I still do. The voting was very close between Brazil, China and Denmark advancing. After Brazil's performance in the Pan-Am Games, is anybody reassessing the likely teams to advance out of Group D? Has China been revitalized under their new coach (Domanski-Lyfors from Sweden)?

 

In group 'D' I think it is going to be Brazil and China hands down. Group 'A' I see Germany for sure and a toss up between England and Japan. Group B seems clear to be US and Korea as well as group C with Norway and Ghana.

 

Anything happen lately to cause you to reassess this or is this pretty much how you felt 3 months ago?

In Group D, you really don't think Denmark has a chance? I think China vs Denmark is the big game of the 1st round. That's practically an elimination game right there.

Group B, how can anything be clear about North Korea?

Group C - well, you're not the only one critical of Canada's direction lately or of their handling of the situation with Charmaine Hooper, Sharolta Nonen and Christine Latham - but to declare flatly that Ghana, and not Canada, is going to advance out of the group strains credibility.

 

I don't remember how I felt three months ago. It would be nice if all teams could advance, but one needs to pick two only. Someone told me Korea was a sleeping giant, but maybe I am confused. Canada seems to be on a down slope, lots of injuries and a shallow bench.

 

A - Germany, Japan
B - USA, N Korea
C - Norway, Australia
D - Brazil, China

 

Group A - what did you think of Japan vs USA a couple weeks ago? And has anyone seen England in their warmup games? (which included, if I recall, a drubbing of Russia, a 1-0 win over Scotland, and a surprise 1-0 loss to the Netherlands)

Group B: leaving Sweden as the odd man out - too many injuries and retirements? Or has the rumor mill been putting out word that I'm looking for a Swedish jersey?

Group C: Canada the odd man out - well, the recent results have been pretty discouraging. How bad are their problems? Do they miss their 3 banished players?

And in the all-important jinx factor has the betting line discounted the possibility of my finding the Norway jersey I want (I want the red jersey they wore in the 2005 Euros, with the Norwegian flag motif ,the white bordered black cross, on the shoulders.)

Group D: I can only explain your leaving Denmark out of it by attributing the jinx factor - it's true, I got a Denmark jersey.



Solveig Gulbrandsen and Isabel Herlovsen from the 2005 European Championship

 

Well i think it is wise to not count on Sweden out of group B.
With all the injuries happed to Sweden ,and one of the best goalkeepers in and
the world is out Caroline Jönsson and of course Hanna Ljungberg, Josefin Öqvist, Sara Larsson ,Malin Moström,Anna Sjöström retired.
We do have a problem, but it also depends on the troop Dennerby presents aug 14. Sweden will suffer for sure, how much ,well time will tell. As a small country we do not have unlimited players to choose from.

A.Germany-Japan
B.Usa-N.korea (sorry to say)
C.Norway-Canada
D.Brazil-Denmark

Yes i choose Denmark because i can´t write them of, not yet anyway.
They are a team that can suprise and they are still strong, even
if Germany won 4-0. I think they will get it together. Same as i think
Canada will.

If Sweden can´t make it this time, i hope Norway does

 

As a small country, Sweden may "not have unlimited players to choose from" but they're still pretty deep. They have players like Nilla Fischer, a newcomer to the national team but she's helped Malmo to contend for the top spot in the Damallsvenskan (top Swedish league). While Swedish fans (and admirers like myself) bemoan the loss to injuries and retirements, a "depleted" Sweden squad still was able to stay close to the US in a 3-2 loss at Algarve. Although since Algarve, there have been two more players lost to injury: Josefine Oqvist and Caroline Jonsson.

Admittedly that last loss, of Jonsson, may prove critical as she has been the mainstay in goal for the last several years and her primary backup, Hedvig Lindahl, is just trying to get back from injury herself.

By the way, at some point soon we have to address the question of who are the hottest Swedish players -of the ones who are likely to make the World Cup roster this year - a list that also took a serious hit when Oqvist went down with an ACL injury.

(I'm on a PC - I'm quite embarrassed while other people display the umlauts and other diacritical marks. I feel so.... so... provincial)

 

What's your thoughts on that? What is Pellerud trying to do, and why doesn't it seem to be working for Canada?

I like a lot of the Canadian players and I'd like to see them do well. (of course some of the ones I like include the famous threesome that were suspended from the team last year and haven't been back...)

And do you think it's time to take a new poll? To see if there's any general shift of opinion?

I'd try to create it myself but I've never done one before. I think I would mess it up.

 

Norway's Euro 2005 Red Jersey

It took some effort, but thanks to the help of one of my best Norwegian football friends, I was able to not only get one of those red Norwegian jersies that Solveig & Isabel are wearing , but also had it customized with Bente's name and number on it. I was lucky enough too to have a couple of chances to meet with Bente the week before the Norwegian squad left for England and she was more than happy to autograph the jersey for me.

Under normal circumstances I would do what I could to help get one of those jersies for you too, but since I'm extremely superstitious, I'm more than just a little concerned about this "all-important jinx factor" that you mention.

And back to the main topic of this thread, here were the original picks that I made three months ago:

A.Germany-England

B.USA-Sweden

C.Norway-Canada

D.Brazil-Denmark

The only prediction that I would make differently today is substituting China for Denmark. China looked like they were in really bad shape after their Algarve Cup debacle, but I think that they have improved enough after making their big coaching change that with their huge home field advantage I now give them a slight edge over the Danes.

 

I haven't heard of the banishment of the 3 Canadian players? Can someone enlighten me as to what happened? Pellerud's influence worked very well for the first few years he coached. What has happened? Last year I really thought Canada would soon be one of the best teams.

 

There was a fairly lengthy thread on this already, which you can read and see what happened. There's also a lot on the go big red website. Here's a link to the BS thread:

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=424472

 

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

Re: Norway's Euro 2005 Red Jersey

Very nice. And with Bente's name on it you'll be able to wear it for a few more World Cups to come!

As for the "all-important jinx factor", there are some limitations on it. (There better be!) I figured superwoman Abby Wambach was impervious to it as long as I didn't get the new Nike gold jersey.

It's always good though to have a sound, rational reason handy to explain the demise of a favorite team, especially a reason that revolves around me...

I am a little worried about counteracting any possible jinxes. Do I need to get a Germany jersey? Perhaps one with Inka Grings or Conny Pohlers name on it - to emblazon the curse they have brought upon themselves for letting petty politics interfere with their team selection?

As for China and Denmark - as much as I like Denmark, I did the same thing (although I heard China just lost to Australia in a friendly this last weekend).

Everybody - be sure to vote in the jd6885's new poll.